CONFIDENTIAL
(115)
CYPHER/CAT A IMMEDIATE
FM FCO 281600Z
CONFIDENTIAL.
FRAME.
LAST
(NW)
112/€
TO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS TELNO 1164 OF 28 SEPTEMBER, 1973,
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 4504: GENERALIZED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES.
inte you?
WE ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH WHAT YOU SAY. IN PARTICULAR
WE SHALL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS FOR
CONSIDERABLY HIGHER QUOTAS, INDEED WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THESE
LINES FOR A LONG TIME IN THE GROUP CONCERNED WITH THE GSP.
WE HAVE ALSO ARGUED THERE THAT THE CSP CAN HELP IN DEALING WITH
INFLATION AND PROTECTING THE CONSUMER.
2. THE ONLY CAUTION IS THAT WE CAN BE IN A DIFFICULT POSITION
VIS-A-VIS UK INDUSTRY IF WE FAILED AT THE SAME TIME TO SECURE
AN EQUITABLE SHARING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF ITS RESPONSE
TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. WE MUST BEWARE, FOR EXAMPLE, OF PRESSURE FOR UNILATERAL COMMITMENTS BY THE UK
ALONE.
3. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS OF DETAIL
A) PARA 3. AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE MADE FAR REACHING PROPOSALS
ON PROCESSED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND OUR PAPER WILL AT LAST
BE TAKEN ON MONDAY TOGETHER WITH THE DUTCH PAPER AND DANISH
PROPOSALS. WE DOUBT THE UTILITY OF LOBBYING IN CAPITALS AT
THIS STAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
(3) PARAS 4 AND